A Little More Warmth
by AdOne-is-my-OTP
Summary: Three years after Will's premature death, Nico is still grieving. He hasn't even stepped out of his cabin. But when Chiron comes to him with a girl who apparently is his sister, can Nico find a way to open himself up one more time? To find a little bit more warmth? (AU WHERE THE WHOLE ToA SERIES NEVER HAPPENED)
1. Chapter 1

It's been three years. Three years of pain and anguish. Of melancholy and misery. Of trying to find even one reason to keep surviving.

Why don't I just give myself over to the monsters? Why don't I let the next Cyclops I see take me? Why do I keep fighting?

_Because you're still angry. Because it's your fault he's gone._

I draw in a shaky breath, the darkness boiling like the Phlegethon inside my stomach. I barely notice the pain.

I hear a faint knock at the cabin door. Ignore. "Nico?" a hopeful voice calls. I can't place it. I can't hear any other voice anymore besides his final scream.

"Nico!" the voice calls again. Ignore.

I don't even know why I'm still here. Why this place, Camp Half-Blood, which at one point didn't even have a place for me, has become my anchor. Why this cabin, stained with desolation and agony, has become my only solace.

_Solace._

Choking out a sob, I take in another breath. Shakier, and shakier. Like a rattle of death. Of calm, soothing death. Of violent, and heartless death.

I realize with a start, why I came back to this place. This place where I never belonged, where I was scorned and shunned. Where I was lost and confused. I came back because I am a ship caught in a turbulent sea scouring the fiery waters for a source of light to find my way through the madness that is my own soul.

He was my lighthouse, and he led me here. He was a shining beacon of light to guide me where I needed to be. And he was gone. His light had gone out.

I came back to see if I could find even a shred of his light, here in what was our home. But all I found was darkness.

* * *

A day later, I'm still in darkness.

I take a chance and glimpse at myself through the pale translucence of my metal bedpost.

I'm pale, as I've always been. My skin stretches so thin that you can see my sharp cheekbones. My obsidian eyes are stagnant black pools of death.

_How could Will ever love this?_

Something stabs at my heart. What little heart I have left, at least.

_He's gone, you idiot. He's gone and he's never coming back. He's gone because you were too late. He's gone because you were stupid. He's probably in Elysium cursing your name. He hates you. He probably never loved you in the first place._

"DAMMIT!" I let out a guttural cry. "Stop, please." I whimper, trying to keep myself from breaking. Wincing, I let the tears fall.

_One drop. Two drops. Three drops._ I thought there would be more, but the pain seems to just be inside my head.

Exhausted, I curl up into a ball and gently rock myself to sleep, waiting for the death-like silence. Instead, I get a nightmare.

* * *

_I'm on a boat. I can barely see. It appears to be nighttime._

_Suddenly I hear the voice. I turn around, and I see a girl with wide amber eyes. She's very young, and she seems scared._

_"Nico." she whimpers. The whimpers turn into screams. "NICO! NICO, LOOK OUT!" she cries. I turn again, and in the shadows I can make out a creature. What creature, I don't know._

_"Nico!" The girl cries again. I turn once more to see the girl being carried into the depths. _

_I am too late._

* * *

I wake up gasping. Something about that dream wasn't right. Then again, none of them are.

I want to retreat back to Hypnos's realm, but am interrupted by a loud knock.

"Nico." a soft, elderly voice calls through the door. Chiron. I'm momentarily confused, since Chiron hasn't spoken to me in three years. Not since...not since his death. I honestly don't care about what happens here anymore, so I ignore it.

"Nico." the centaur persists, "I have someone who you need to meet."

Exasperated, I trek over to open the door. The immortal centaur looks at me with kind eyes although he knows that I have no use for his kindness anymore.

"Nico, this is Olivia Santos. She was claimed at the campfire yesterday by Hades. This is now also her cabin." As an afterthought, he adds, "Maybe she will help you be less lonely."

I'm about to roll my eyes until I see the girl standing next to Chiron. She has amber eyes and wavy black hair. I inhale sharply.

This is the girl from my dream.


	2. IMPORTANT NOTICE

**Hello readers! I'm actually starting another story right now, and will continue this one after it's finished. In case you want to know, the new story will be a Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir + Percy Jackson and the Olympians crossover. Sorry about this, guys! Please don't hate me!**


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